国际海底区域环境保护制度的发展趋势与中国的应对

Strengthening Trend of Marine Environmental Protection Regulations Governing Deep Seabed Mining Activities in the Area and China’s Responses

2012年以来,国际海底管理局着力推进《国际海底区域矿产资源开发规章(草案)》的磋商进程,其产业政策、管理流程及惠益分享制度等方面的内容攸关深海采矿产业的未来走向,引起了国际社会的广泛关注与参与。其中有效保护海洋环境的基本原则、环境标准和监管制度等内容,承包者在开发活动中的环境保护义务和担保国的责任等议题,更成为利益攸关各方关注的焦点。2019年11月,历经多次讨论与修改《国际海底区域矿产资源开发规章(草案)》再次公布。我国作为担保国,有必要"未雨绸缪",按照《联合国海洋法公约》的规定,尽早通过国内立法,完善我国深海采矿方面的法律体系,对海洋环境进行严格保护;对开展勘探和开发活动的组织、法人、公民进行有效管控,确保与国际环境保护制度的良性衔接。同时,作为负责任的大国,我国在坚持"人类共同继承财产"原则的同时,应深度参与国际立法进程,在提升我国的规则制定能力和话语权的同时,积极反映我国的利益与关切,为合理、有序、可持续开发深海矿产资源贡献中国智慧。

Since 2012,the International Seabed Authority(ISA)is speeding up the pace for the negotiation process so as to enact the Draft Regulations on Exploitation of Mineral Resources(Draft Regulations)in the International Seabed Area(Area).The rules and regulations relating to mining activities,management procedures and benefit sharing have attracted the widest attention and broadest participation to the ISA sessions,because they concern the future direction of deep seabed mining(DSM)industry.Among which,the fundamental rules,regulations and procedures(RRP)governing the marine environmental protection from the mining related activities in the Area,together with the contractors’obligations and sponsoring states’responsibilities have become the focus of debate among stakeholders and various interest groups.In November 2019,the latest Draft Regulations was publicized and entering the negotiation phase for wording and minor changes based upon the earlier versions decided in the past years.Given the fact that the Draft Regulations seems ready to come out any time,China has to be fully prepared as a sponsoring state.China needs to enact national laws according to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea(UNCLOS)and to advance its overall legal system for DSM to ensure the effective control over its nationals and enterprises participating in the mining industries and marine environmental protection.Meanwhile,as a responsible Party,China needs to abide by the principle of the Common Heritage of Mankind,actively participates in the ISA-led negotiation and formulation of international RRP,adjust its domestic laws to safeguard national interest,improve its rule-making capacity and discourse right,and contribute with Chinese wisdom for the fair,orderly and sustainable development of deep seabed mineral resources.